Roy Mersland
Biographic Data
| ID | 5527138 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Roy Mersland |
| GIVEN NAMES | Roy |
| FAMILY NAME | Mersland |
| SIGNATURE | MERSLAND R |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Agder |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6683-2737 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 134 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 17 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2008 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
The Ethical Dilemma in Hybrid Organizations
The Application of Sen's Capability Approach in Disability Research
Determinants of Sustainability of Informal Community-Based Financial Groups
International audience
Lending to Women and Credit Risk in Microfinance Institutions
Female poverty and financial exclusion of women often reflect patriarchy, a societal logic that consists of norms, beliefs, and traditions that rationalise the marginalisation of women. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have a developmental objective of promoting women’s empowerment through the provision of banking services. Yet, it remains the case that patriarchy not only influences the extent of outreach to women but also the relationship and c…
Impact of climate change training intervention in savings groups
This paper investigates the impact of integrating climate change interventions in informal community‐based institutions called savings groups. By integrating climate‐related activities into these groups, the aim is to simultaneously strengthen the group's financial activities as well as improve knowledge and investment capacity in climate adaptation. We find that the introduction of the training increases meeting attendance rate and average loan …
Achieving Double Bottom-Line Performance in Hybrid Organisations
Autonomy and Financial Performance in Informal Savings Associations
A multitude of NGOs form informal savings and lending associations in developing countries, called savings groups. Group members are responsible for the day-to-day governance, operating within the framework provided by the NGOs. As NGOs differ in the model they provide, savings groups are endowed with different levels of autonomy over their operations. Drawing on theories related to autonomy and performance, we test whether more autonomous saving…
Does it (Re)pay to be Female? Considering Gender in Microfinance Loan Officer-Client Pairs
This paper examines the effect of the gender combination of client-loan officer pairs on loan repayment in an Ecuadorian microfinance institution. We show that among the four possible client-loan officer gender pairs i.e. female client-female loan officer, female client-male loan officer, male client-male loan officer and male client-female loan officer, the most favourable pairs in terms of repayment are those with female loan officers whereas t…
Exploring Microfinance Clients with Disabilities
Using a unique sample from an Ecuadorian microfinance institution that has focused on increasing its outreach to disabled clients, we present a comparative analysis of the characteristics of disabled versus non-disabled clients. The study shows that disabled clients are more often male, are less likely to be living with a partner, have fewer children, and are older compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Moreover, we observe differences in r…
From NGOs to Banks
Staff characteristics and the exclusion of persons with disabilities
This study uses survey data from the microfinance industry in Uganda to investigate whether there are differences among industry staff members in beliefs and views regarding persons with disabilities. For several of the questions, various staff sub-groups respond significantly differently. A recurring result is that staff members who have a relative with disabilities often express views that differ from the views of other staff members. Moreover,…
Income characteristics and the use of microfinance services
The purpose of this empirical research from Uganda is to provide initial insightinto the ‘black box’ of understanding the economic behaviour of persons withdisabilities and about their use of microfinance services. First, we analyse theincome levels of persons with disabilities in relation to their sources of income.Second, we study the income sources and income levels for different types ofdisabilities. Finally, we analyse how income level and i…
Focus on Women in Microfinance Institutions
We provide empirical evidence on focusing on women in microfinance and its consequences for microfinance institutions (MFIs). Based on a global dataset, the results indicate that a focus on women is associated with group-lending methods, international orientation, smaller loans, and non-commercial legal status. We find that a focus on women significantly improves repayment but does not enhance overall financial performance because of higher relat…
The Effects of Religion on Development Efforts
Women and Repayment in Microfinance
Microfinance Mission Drift
The Cost of Ownership in Microfinance Organizations
Microfinance Mission Drift
Women and Repayment in Microfinance
From NGOs to Banks
The Effects of Religion on Development Efforts
The Cost of Ownership in Microfinance Organizations
Staff characteristics and the exclusion of persons with disabilities
This study uses survey data from the microfinance industry in Uganda to investigate whether there are differences among industry staff members in beliefs and views regarding persons with disabilities. For several of the questions, various staff sub-groups respond significantly differently. A recurring result is that staff members who have a relative with disabilities often express views that differ from the views of other staff members. Moreover,…
Income characteristics and the use of microfinance services
The purpose of this empirical research from Uganda is to provide initial insightinto the ‘black box’ of understanding the economic behaviour of persons withdisabilities and about their use of microfinance services. First, we analyse theincome levels of persons with disabilities in relation to their sources of income.Second, we study the income sources and income levels for different types ofdisabilities. Finally, we analyse how income level and i…
The Cost of Ownership in Microfinance Organizations
Microfinance Mission Drift
Women and Repayment in Microfinance
Focus on Women in Microfinance Institutions
We provide empirical evidence on focusing on women in microfinance and its consequences for microfinance institutions (MFIs). Based on a global dataset, the results indicate that a focus on women is associated with group-lending methods, international orientation, smaller loans, and non-commercial legal status. We find that a focus on women significantly improves repayment but does not enhance overall financial performance because of higher relat…
The Effects of Religion on Development Efforts
Income characteristics and the use of microfinance services
The purpose of this empirical research from Uganda is to provide initial insightinto the ‘black box’ of understanding the economic behaviour of persons withdisabilities and about their use of microfinance services. First, we analyse theincome levels of persons with disabilities in relation to their sources of income.Second, we study the income sources and income levels for different types ofdisabilities. Finally, we analyse how income level and i…
Staff characteristics and the exclusion of persons with disabilities
This study uses survey data from the microfinance industry in Uganda to investigate whether there are differences among industry staff members in beliefs and views regarding persons with disabilities. For several of the questions, various staff sub-groups respond significantly differently. A recurring result is that staff members who have a relative with disabilities often express views that differ from the views of other staff members. Moreover,…
From NGOs to Banks
Exploring Microfinance Clients with Disabilities
Using a unique sample from an Ecuadorian microfinance institution that has focused on increasing its outreach to disabled clients, we present a comparative analysis of the characteristics of disabled versus non-disabled clients. The study shows that disabled clients are more often male, are less likely to be living with a partner, have fewer children, and are older compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Moreover, we observe differences in r…
Does it (Re)pay to be Female? Considering Gender in Microfinance Loan Officer-Client Pairs
This paper examines the effect of the gender combination of client-loan officer pairs on loan repayment in an Ecuadorian microfinance institution. We show that among the four possible client-loan officer gender pairs i.e. female client-female loan officer, female client-male loan officer, male client-male loan officer and male client-female loan officer, the most favourable pairs in terms of repayment are those with female loan officers whereas t…
Impact of climate change training intervention in savings groups
This paper investigates the impact of integrating climate change interventions in informal community‐based institutions called savings groups. By integrating climate‐related activities into these groups, the aim is to simultaneously strengthen the group's financial activities as well as improve knowledge and investment capacity in climate adaptation. We find that the introduction of the training increases meeting attendance rate and average loan …
Achieving Double Bottom-Line Performance in Hybrid Organisations
Autonomy and Financial Performance in Informal Savings Associations
A multitude of NGOs form informal savings and lending associations in developing countries, called savings groups. Group members are responsible for the day-to-day governance, operating within the framework provided by the NGOs. As NGOs differ in the model they provide, savings groups are endowed with different levels of autonomy over their operations. Drawing on theories related to autonomy and performance, we test whether more autonomous saving…
The Ethical Dilemma in Hybrid Organizations
The Application of Sen's Capability Approach in Disability Research
Determinants of Sustainability of Informal Community-Based Financial Groups
International audience
Lending to Women and Credit Risk in Microfinance Institutions
Female poverty and financial exclusion of women often reflect patriarchy, a societal logic that consists of norms, beliefs, and traditions that rationalise the marginalisation of women. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have a developmental objective of promoting women’s empowerment through the provision of banking services. Yet, it remains the case that patriarchy not only influences the extent of outreach to women but also the relationship and c…
Economics (16 works) · Microfinance and Financial Inclusion (16 works) · Business (15 works) · Economic growth (13 works) · Microfinance (13 works) · Islamic Finance and Banking Studies (9 works) · FinTech, Crowdfunding, Digital Finance (8 works) · Finance (7 works) · Demographic economics (6 works) · Financial system (4 works)